Roll with us to Pasadena for JANM’s new exhibition, Cruising J-Town: Behind the Wheel of the Nikkei Community (free admission, reservations recommended)! Curated by writer and scholar, Dr. Oliver Wang, this exhibition dives into the people, places, and stories of Japanese American car scenes throughout Los Angeles.
At the center of the exhibition are five classic cars that highlight the themes of Speed, Style, Work, and Community: George Nakamura’s 1940s “Meteor” hot rod; Brian Omatsu’s custom 1951 Mercury coupe known as the “Purple Reign”; a 1956 Ford F100 pickup truck owned by Kirk Shimazu; Tod Kaneko’s 1973 Datsun 510, one of the models that launched the import car craze; and a hot pink 1989 Nissan 240SX from professional drift racing driver Nadine Sachiko Toyoda-Hsu’s days with the Drifting Pretty team.
Over one hundred objects—including rare photographs and home movies and memorabilia from car clubs, service stations, race car drivers, and collectors—show the breadth and depth of the Japanese American community in the hot rod, import tuner craze, drift racing, and low rider scenes as well as the central role that cars and trucks played in the working lives of Japanese Americans.
Cruising J-Town will be on view from Thursday, July 31 through Friday, November 12, 2025, at the ArtCenter’s Peter and Merle Mullin Gallery (1111 South Arroyo Parkway, Pasadena, CA 91105). The gallery will be open from Wednesday through Sunday from 12 p.m.–5 p.m.
So come out to Pasadena and enjoy the sights and sounds of American car culture in Los Angeles through the lens of the Japanese American community! You can also take the exhibition home with you when you purchase the companion book and other fun gifts online from the JANM Store’s Cruising J-Town Collection.
JANM’s Discover Nikkei is also working with Wang on a new series of articles and testimonials related to the personal, family, and community stories and histories covered in the exhibition and the companion book. Check out stories from the new Cruising J-Town: Side Trips and stay on the lookout for a new story every week or so that dives into the rich history and ways that Southern California Nikkei engage in the world of cars and trucks.
Related Public Programs
And don’t forget to mark your calendars for these exciting Cruising J-Town public programs and special events for JANM Members at JANM and ArtCenter too! Check janm.org/CruisingJTown/events for updates and we’ll see you there!
Opening Reception for Cruising J-Town
Thursday, July 31, 2025
5 p.m.–7 p.m.
Admission: Free and open to the public
Celebrate Cruising J-Town: Behind the Wheel with the Nikkei Community with an opening reception hosted by the ArtCenter College of Design!
From the Street to the World: Legacies of the Import Car Scene
Saturday, August 30, 2025
2 p.m.–3:30 p.m.
Admission: $5 (free for youth under 18 and JANM Members)
Join exhibition curator Dr. Oliver Wang and special guests in the world of import tuners from the 1970s through today for an insightful panel discussion about how street racers shaped the future of American car culture through their adoptions and innovations with Japanese import cars.
Cruising J-Town Mini-Meet: Street Racers Reunion
Saturday, September 13, 2025
10 a.m.–12 p.m.
Admission: Free
Grab a cup of coffee and join the street racing and import tuner scene reunion featuring a selection of a dozen cars that reflect the merging of two scenes that many Japanese Americans and Asian Americans participated in from the 1970s through the 2000s. This event is organized in partnership with Darin Dohi, a former street racer with Gardena’s KMA.
Fish Truck Family Reunion
Saturday, October 25, 2025
2 p.m.–3:30 p.m.
Admission: $5 (free for youth under 18 and JANM Members)
For over forty years, Nikkei fish trucks delivered fresh seafood, rice, and other Japanese goods to homes across Los Angeles. They also provided a valuable community service by bringing a taste of home six days a week to Nikkei throughout the greater Los Angeles area. This special event features testimonies from the families of half a dozen former fish truck operators, with rare photographs and home movies. Read more about fish truck history with Chelsea Shi-Chao Liu’s Discover Nikkei article, “Remembering the L.A. Retail Fish Association.”
JANM Members Morning Preview
Saturday, August 2, 2025
10 a.m.– 12 p.m.
Admission: Members only. Interested in becoming a Member? Join now!
Join exhibition curator Dr. Oliver Wang for an exclusive morning preview of Cruising J-Town and a conversation about car culture across the generations of Southern California Nikkei.
JANM Members Curator Tours
Thursday, September 25, 2025, from 5 p.m.–7 p.m.
Tuesday, October 18, 2025, from 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
Admission: Members only. Interested in becoming a Member? Join now!
Join exhibition curator Dr. Oliver Wang for an in-depth conversation about car culture across the generations of Southern California Nikkei.
Featured image: A photo collage of images from JANM’s exhibition, Cruising J-Town: Behind the Wheel of the Nikkei Community. The exhibition is sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities with additional support from the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, Sunco Industries, Co. Ltd., and Don & Ellen Mizota. The media sponsor is The Rafu Shimpo, and the promotional partners are Formula DRIFT, Japanese Classic Car Show, Mooneyes, and Toyota Owner’s and Restorer’s Club. Photo collage by Doug Mukai.